{"id":1932,"date":"2014-11-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dchrs.org\/?p=1932","title":{"rendered":"The Syrian Regime Targeted a School in Al-Qaboun and Killed at least 14 Children"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Special Statement on a massacre in which the Syrian regime targeted an elementary school in Al-Qaboun, eastern Damascus, killing at least 14 children and wounding 22 others, many critically.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nIn light of the absence of any deterrent or international efforts to end the Syrian regime’s ongoing war against civilians, using all kinds of weaponry, the Syrian regime has reaffirmed its criminal methods, bloodthirsty policies, and absolute disregard for any human rights conventions as it perpetrates yet another war crime. The Syrian regime targeted an elementary school filled with young children, killing them in cold blood and without remorse, amidst the utter silence of the international community in response to such violations.\n<\/p>\n

\nOn the morning of Wednesday November 5, 2014, at approximately 11:00, two missiles fell on the center of Al-Qaboun, which is located in Eastern Damascus, near Al-Hayat School, an elementary school in Al-Qaboun. The first missile fell outside of the school wall, while the second missile fell immediately afterwards, landing in the school yard. Both missiles were launched from a Syrian regime  rocket launcher.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe attack instantly killed a number of victims, all children, who had been playing in the yard as the second missile hit the school, as they were in a recess period between classes. The shelling killed nine children immediately, injuring around 27 others, all of whom were subsequently transferred to nearby field-hospitals. More children died in hospital due to the severity of their injuries and the lack of the necessary medical capabilities to treat them.\n<\/p>\n

\nBy the end of Wednesday, November 5, 2014, DCHRS documented the names of 14 who had been killed during the targeting of Al-Hayat School in Al-Qaboun, Damascus. This number includes 13 children from Al-Qaboun, and one child from Joubar. Furthermore, two bodies remain unidentified.
\n– Radwan Ramadan, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Rajab Salman Zinou, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Walid Zaher Abdulwahed, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Obada Samir Jou’ana, from Al-Qaboun,.
\n– Omar At-Twashi, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Muath Abdulwahed, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Zaher Hassan Eid, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Abdurrahman Sadeq Shokour, from Al-Qaboun.
\nhttp:\/\/on.fb.me\/113CqaS<\/a>
\n– Mohammad Ammar Al-Madani, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Mohammad Ayman Shokour, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Ali Nedal Abu-Athan, from Al-Qaboun,.
\n– Unidentified child, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Unidentified child, from Al-Qaboun.
\n– Hamdi Al-Bassal, from Jobar.
\nVideo footage of the massacre:
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/58M6ZMoAiCQ<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/GYGYvKgD58s<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/h7WjNIBCTFk<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/Wz94L0gCZsg<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/c-pjHFCC3IU<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/4lVMhb1fujQ<\/a>
\nImages of the massacre:
\nhttp:\/\/on.fb.me\/1x9TUzu<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nIt is worth noting that this is not the first time a school has been deliberately targeted by the Syrian regime. On September 29, 2013 Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies documented a similar massacre, in which regime warplanes carried out an airstrike on a school in Ar-Raqqa which killed at least 16 children. Also, on April 29, 2014 the Syrian regime forces targeted Badr Ad-Din Al-Husani School the Ash-Shaghour neighborhood of Damascus with three mortar shells killing at least 16 children, and wounding more than 80 others. Furthermore, the Syrian regime targeted Ain Jalout School in eastern Aleppo’s Ansari neighborhood with a high explosive missile, leaving 21 students dead and wounding 20 others.\n<\/p>\n

\nDCHRS deplores this criminal act of the Assad regime involving the targeting of a school – a type of building which is considered to be a forbidden target in times of war. This crime can be classified as a war crime in accordance with Article 8-2-b-ix of Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: “Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives” and Article 8–2-b–ii: “Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, that is, objects which are not military objectives”\n<\/p>\n

\nTherefore, DCHRS urges the international community, relevant organizations, the United Nations, and the Security Council, to take immediate action to stop and end the Assad regime’s ongoing violations against the civilians in Syria.\n<\/p>\n

\nMoreover, DCHRS urges the concerned parties to uphold their responsibilities in the face of the Syrian regime’s use of lethal weaponry, and its continuous targeting of civilians. The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies cautions that  the international community’s silence will lead to further atrocities, as the Assad regime will continue to shed the blood of innocent civilians.\n<\/p>\n

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\nDamascus Center for Human Rights\n<\/p>\n

\n06-11-2014\n<\/p>\n

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\nChild Radwan Ramadan, from Al-Qaboun <\/strong> <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

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\nChild Obada Samir Jou’ana, from Al-Qaboun<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

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\nChild Ali Nedal Abu-Athan, from Al-Qaboun<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

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\nImage of one of the child victims<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

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\nMass grave for the children victims<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

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\nFor more information, please contact
\nDr. Radwan Ziadeh, Executive director of the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies.
\nPhone (571) 205-3590
\nEmail : radwan.ziadeh@gmail.com<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n \n<\/p>\n

\nMr. Mojahed Ghadban, Communication Officer.
\nTelephone (479) 799-8115
\nEmail: info@dchrs.org<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nDCHRS<\/a> is an independent, non-governmental organization, established in 2005, located in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Its mission is to foster a spirit of support and respect for the values and standards of human rights in Syria. As such, DCHRS recognizes and adheres to all pertinent international human rights agreements and declarations issued by the UN.\n<\/p>\n

\nDCHRS is a member of the following international networks:\n<\/p>\n